Auction in progress, classic auction patter
The livestock and game auctions at Campsea Ashe bring out a whole much of characters, full of good old Suffolk boys with strong accents. And a few loud cocks too
Loud cocks
Author: richard
Southwold Footbridge Ripples
Windy recording of the ripples lapping at the mudbanks by the Southwold Footbridge
It was a seriously windy day, good for ripples but not so good for the recording.
Under The Pier show soundmark
Tim Hunkin’s madcap creations at the Under the Pier show at Southwold have their own soundmarks, but this rhythmic squeak from the animated sign is the one that most reminds me of this attraction.
A Vee of Geese overflying Southwold Pier at dusk
I was recording the waves at Southwold pier as darkness started to fall. The air was still enough to give it a go without being taken down by the sea winds.
Suddenly, in the distance I hear the sound of geese, and a massive vee of geese pass overhead, possibly a hundred birds in all
Fairground Roundabout
This fairground roundabout was set up in the town centre, and seemed to have some sort of mechanical organ contraption in the middle which delivered this hurdy-gurdy melody.
Christchurch Park Mistle Thrush
In Christchurch Park in the centre of Ipswich near the Mansion, there was this mistle thrush giving off the football rattle sound, a welcome piece of wildlife in the town centre on a freezing day. Somehow the city sounds in the background give him some edge, even though it’s hardly a classic species recording.
The sudden boost at the end is the bird diving off to take up some issue with a bird in a yew in the graveyard
Snape Snippet
As the pied wagtails swoop over the concert hall that backs onto the reedbeds sighing in the wind, a middle-aged couple climb the steps, the guy sounding knowledgeable, to impress the lady maybe? Or perhaps a couple that have been together for years. The accents are just as you’d expect, middle-class, ever so slightly affected.
The hysterical horse is a bronze sculpture in the distance, looking out over the reeds
Swans taking off, Grundisburgh
It’s not that easy to catch the beginning of swans taking off, but these took off while I was recording near a reservoir at Grundisburgh, with the ungainly splashing and creaking of wings.
Fat Cat Pub ambience
The Fat Cat pub in Ipswich is a fine real ale pub, which serves many of its beers gravity-fed. Sound-wise, however, the pub is a nightmare – lots of glass which reflects the conversation, to the extend that on a full Friday or Saturday night you struggle to hear your mates over a small round table. Thankfully they don’t have muzak or a jukebox! This was only made worse by the addition fo a conservatory extension with a plastic pitched roof that focuses the sound onto the middle tables. However, the beer and the ambience makes up for the odd lost word.
This recording was made on a Wednesday so there were fewer customers, it was okay for conversation.
Nightjar on Blaxhall Heath
The mating call of the nightjar is a very strange churring sound, usually made around dusk, hence the ropey photo. The sound is eerie, as most other birds have stopped by the time this call is made. The claps are wingbeats.